This is a game about family, pudding, and the looming threat of geriatricide.
A wise person once said you can choose your friends but not your family. In Apple Crumble, the new cozy murder mystery from the Duck Detective maestros themselves – Happy Broccoli Games. In their upcoming sleuthing game, you’re stuck at a birthday party with a dysfunctional bunch who may or may not be plotting to murder your nan. Benoît Blanc would tell you that the most obvious suspect is never the right one. But in this family, everyone’s obvious.
The premise is wonderfully simple and just a little bit sinister. It’s your grandma’s 84th birthday party. The apple crumble is in the oven. Your stressed-out mum is on edge. Your midlife crisis uncle is doing… whatever uncles in a midlife crisis do. And there’s a strange man in your bedroom. But who is trying to murder your grandmother? It surely can’t be your family members? Or could it?
Apple Crumble is a mystery thriller inspired by the likes of Knives Out and MOUTHWASHING, so you know you’re in for a fun time. As Blanc would say, “The truth is like a doughnut. But this doughnut has a hole. And that hole is filled with attempted murder… and possibly custard.” Find out who is out to knife your Nan and crack the case before it’s time for tea.
A ‘Creepy-Cozy’ Walk Down Memory Lane
If you’ve played Happy Broccoli Games’ previous hit, Duck Detective: The Secret Salami and/or The Ghost of Glamping, you know they excel at a very specific flavour of investigative charm that’s coming up. Apple Crumble is a short, twisty 60-90 minute experience that the developers describe as a “creepy-cozy walking sim”. Think of it as a playable Agatha Christie novel, but one where you get to snoop through your own childhood home’s drawers—definitely the ones you shouldn’t open.
The game’s reveal trailer, which premiered at the Day of the Devs summer showcase, showcases a delightfully dark, cartoonish 3D art style. It looks like a lot of fun to poke around in, and it’s fully voice-acted to boot. You’ll be exploring every room of the family home, examining objects, and talking to a fully voiced cast of suspects.
Family Ties and Sharp Objects
It’s your grandma’s 84th birthday party and nobody is trying to murder her. Stop suspecting your family members, and don’t worry about the strange man in your bedroom. A new creepy-cozy mystery thriller from the creators of Duck Detective.
The official Steam description playfully insists you stop suspecting your family, which is exactly what a game that wants you to suspect your family would say. This is the same studio that brought us a duck detective, so expect a narrative that balances dark, silly humour with genuine suspense.
It’s all very Knives Out, but with a touch of MOUTHWASHING’s psychological unease for good measure. While it’s a much shorter experience than those inspirations—clocking in at about the same runtime as a feature film—Happy Broccoli Games is promising a tightly packed, twisty thriller. Given that the biggest complaint about Duck Detective was that it was too short, this sounds like a promise to deliver a punchy, no-filler mystery.
With a 2026 release window on PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam, you have time to prep the perfect alibi. But who are we kidding? If you’re a fan of Duck Detective or just love a good, slightly unhinged whodunnit, Apple Crumble is a must-wishlist.
